Everything needs a Beginning, doesn’t it, otherwise it’s just a Maybe. A per haps. But this isn’t that Beginning. This Beginning’s begun.

It began such a very long time ago, you see, that you may have missed it. You may not have noticed at all. It was very quiet, after all. Quite, quite quiet.

So there’s no need to welcome you because you’ve been here – right here – for such a very long time already. These books. These shelves. They know you now, they almost know you more than you. Almost known you. So you mustn’t leave.

And I’m afraid that you have so very many fines outstanding that you may be here some time, whether you like it or not.